I've recently started climbing and have acquired gear. I discovered that, in order to know which routes to climb, to know the grading, you use a climbing/route guide. Except for being a novice climber, I'm also a bit of a gadget junky. So, here comes my questions:

1. Is there a climing/route guide for iPhone that shows South African routes? I've started using "Global climbing guide", but it does not show any routes in SA. The cool thing about this app is that you can log your climbs and upload them so other users can also see the routes. But I don't want to start using this app if the climbing community already uses something else. Any advice?

2. I'm looking for a proper hard-copy route guide for Gauteng. This is obviously the 2nd best option if an app is not available, but if we decide to use an app where routes have not been uploaded, I don't want to start renaming and re-grading routes. Can anyone suggest a good route guide and also where to get it? I had a look on Kalahari.net and also on climbing.co.za's bookshop but not quite sure what to get...

I have also just loaded Global climbing guide on my iPhone and quite like it but I cant create an account. it just tells me it cant create account. The email address and website they have in the support section also no longer exists. Have they folded and gone out of business ?

I think adding the routes in SA would be great. As you can add pics it would be great to add the route guide pics like the one from Harrismith to the Area and climbs so you can also have another reference to where the climbs and boulder are.

I like printed route guides.
They dont break when they fall or get jumped on. You can kick them when angry without destroying them. They are cheap. In an emergency situation they make for some uniquely textured bogroll. They are an acceptable substitute for firelighters when you are out of luck. They can handle some scorching from a bonfire, and even in rain they have some use as an umbrella. Also, to date muggers have found them worthless.

If you want to log your climbs to measure your progress, you can either use the said routeguide's empty backpages (which you can manually add yourself with ductape, or use http://www.8a.nu and measure yourself against the best in the world.

Personally I just love me printed routeguide with scorchmarks, rainstains, etc. It makes me look like the hardcore climber i am not.
(then again, the real hardcore climbers know the routes so well, they start forgetting to take the routeguide along to the crag!)

Where is that "like" button- anyway Franz, I agree. Why does it have to be an app rather than a PDF? The new Boven guide on your phone work well, and I agree that if you are that desperate you go look on the wiki. Would be lekker if 8a.nu offered something tho.